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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27401596">More Than A Night</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RonRos47/pseuds/RonRos47'>RonRos47</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Roswell (TV 1999)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:09:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,802</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27401596</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RonRos47/pseuds/RonRos47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place during S2 'Surprise'.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Isabel Evans &amp; Michael Guerin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>More Than A Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Isabel: Am I supposed to be alone for the rest of my life…</p><p>Michael: Isabel, you are not alone.</p><p>Isabel: Not even talk to other guys?</p><p>Michael: Works for me.</p><p>Isabel: I don’t think so.</p><p>Michael: Isabel, you do not belong with him.</p><p>Isabel: No, I belong with you but I don’t think either one of us wants to think about that too much.</p><p>*****</p><p>[HOURS LATER:]</p><p>“I know, how,” Michael said, “I…after I used my powers on Pierce…so, uh, if you want to talk or something…”</p><p>Part of Isabel wanted to run, to be alone.  After everything she had just been through with Whitaker and everything she’d just heard, it had been too much and yet she couldn’t bring herself to walk away.  Michael had just told her if she wanted to ‘talk or something’ and something was exactly what she needed right now.</p><p>She walked towards him and hugged him.  He hugged her back as she clung to him tightly like she never had before.  Her body was shaking uncontrollably as tears made their way down his shirt.</p><p>“Hey,” he said, “it’s okay.  I’ve got you.  You’re okay.  I’m right here, okay?”  He could feel Isabel nod her head, “I’m not going anywhere.  I’m right here.  You’re okay, I’m right here, Iz.”  Isabel held on tighter.</p><p>Despite what Maria could only imagine what Isabel could have been through there was that part of her, the part that had an on again-off again relationship with Michael that couldn’t help but get jealous.  She had never seen Michael care for her the way he currently was with Isabel.  I mean sure she hadn’t been in any serious trouble the way it seemed Isabel had tonight but it was still enough to merit her feelings.</p><p>Once Isabel was slightly relaxed she pulled back.  Michael held onto her arm softly in case she couldn’t completely pull away.  </p><p>“Want me to take you home?” Michael asked.</p><p>Isabel shook her head no.</p><p>“Can we um, can we go somewhere?”</p><p>“Anywhere, just tell me,” said Michael.</p><p>Isabel turned and began walking away.  Michael looked over at Max who simply nodded.  Maria didn’t want Michael to leave but it seemed she had no say in the matter so she remained silent.</p><p>“Happy  birthday, Isabel,” Isabel said into the void of the pod chamber.  Michael stood in the back simply waiting.  “I’m 18 today, mother.  October 25th.  At least that’s the day we’ve always celebrated as my birthday.  But you’re the only one who knows the real day.  I guess that’s why I came to this place, the only place I’ve ever seen you.  I hold…I hold onto that day, but you disappeared, and the picture of you was already fading, and it’s all I had.  I was so happy because you were beautiful and I even thought I looked like you.  But it wasn’t you…not really.  God, I don’t know what you look like.  Maybe I’ll never know.  It isn’t fair.  It isn’t fair.  I need you.  I need you.  Where are you?  Oh, God, it’s my birthday.  We should be together.  How could you leave us?”  Isabel looked down and whispered, “how could you leave me?  It wasn’t supposed to be this way.”</p><p>Isabel looked over at Michael and sighed, “I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Don’t be.  I’d be angry too.”</p><p>“Whitaker told me things…things I don’t want to believe…things I did.”</p><p>“What kinds of things?”</p><p>Isabel was starting to tremble.  “She said I betrayed everyone, my family.  God what kind of person would do that?  How could I betray you and everyone else?”</p><p>“Hey, whatever happened back then it wasn’t you.”</p><p>“But what if it was?  I mean haven’t you ever wondered who we were back then?”</p><p>“Sure I have but for all you know she could’ve been lying to you.”</p><p>Isabel shook her head.  “She wasn’t.  I didn’t want to believe it but I could sense a truth to her words.  We were…we were engaged once Michael.  How could I just betray you?”</p><p>“I don’t know but it doesn’t matter now okay.  You’re here.  You’re still Isabel and whoever you are, whoever we were was a long time ago.”</p><p>She nodded.  Isabel tried to calm herself down but all of her self-talk wasn’t working.  The anger she had just released wasn’t working either.  She was glad that she hadn’t come to the cave alone.  She’d considered it but having someone made things a lot easier.  </p><p>“What um, what was it like killing someone for the first time, killing Pierce?”</p><p>“Honestly, the worst feeling in the world but necessary.  I’m this soldier so I had to do what I had to in order to keep us alive.”</p><p>“That’s how it felt for me.  We have all of these powers but I’ve just always used them recreationally.  I never imagined I would actually have to use them on someone.”</p><p>“You did what you had to.”</p><p>“I’m not a soldier, Michael.”</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>“The scary part was I actually liked it.  What does that make me?”</p><p>“It makes you a survivor, Isabel.  You did what you had to to survive.  Max or I would have done the same thing.  Come on, let me take you home.”</p><p>Without saying a word Isabel let herself be guided by Michael out of the cave.  </p><p>*****</p><p>“Michael,” Isabel asked once they got to her house, “do you think you could stay tonight?”</p><p>“Sure, I won’t go anywhere.”</p><p>Isabel smiled slightly as she got some fresh clothes and went to take a shower.</p><p>Once he heard the water running Max walked into the room.  </p><p>“How’s she holding up?” he asked.  Michael looked at him.  “Sorry, I heard you two come in.”</p><p>“Right.  Where’s your mom?”</p><p>“Doing damage control at the party.”</p><p>“That’s a relief.”</p><p>“Isabel?”</p><p>“What can I tell you, Maxwell, she’s a mess.  It might take her some time to get over what happened tonight.”</p><p>“Sure I’m not going to rush her.  How are you holding up?”</p><p>“Me, I’m fine why wouldn’t I be?”</p><p>“No reason.  So what happened between you tonight?”</p><p>“Nothin’.  We just went for a walk that’s all but you know that.”</p><p>“No I know, I guess I’m just curious as to where you ended up.”</p><p>“Does it really matter?”</p><p>“Not unless you want to tell me.”</p><p>“Then stop asking.”</p><p>“What’s with you?”</p><p>“Sorry, it’s just been a long night, you know.”</p><p>“Right.”</p><p>“If it’s alright with you, I’m going to stay the night.  I don’t think Isabel wants to be left alone and I don’t want to leave her alone either.”</p><p>“Yeah, sure, that’s not a problem.  You know normally she’d want to be left alone.”</p><p>“This isn’t a normal situation.”</p><p>“Right.  So are you going to stay in Isabel’s room or in mine?”</p><p>“Here,” Isabel said.  Max and Michael turned to see her standing at the doorway.  Her hair was damp form her shower.</p><p>“Are you sure?” Michael asked.</p><p>“I need you here tonight, Michael.  If that’s okay.”</p><p>Michael nodded, “Anything you need.”</p><p>“Thanks.”</p><p>Max smiled slightly, “You did good tonight, Iz.”</p><p>“I don’t know if good is the right word.  How’s Tess?”</p><p>“Alive.  She wouldn’t be if it weren’t for you.”</p><p>“No, she got hurt because of me.”</p><p>“What are you talking about,” Max asked.</p><p>“It’s nothing.  I should probably get some sleep.  I’m tired and I just want to close my eyes.”</p><p>“Yeah, okay.  Goodnight.  Michael you know where the extra sleeping bag is?”</p><p>“I’ll get it,” Michael replied.</p><p>Once he was gone Isabel turned to Michael.  “You’re not sleeping on the floor tonight.”</p><p>“Isabel, I don’t think that’s such a good-,”</p><p>“Michael, please,” she said softly.</p><p>Michael could see how broken Isabel was tonight.  He found he couldn’t deny her anything and she needed everything.  </p><p>“Okay,” was all he said.</p><p>He helped her get into bed, turned off the light, and took his place beside her.  It was only an hour later that Isabel had woken up.  Her head was on Michael’s chest.  He was still awake, watching over her.</p><p>Rather than saying a word Isabel looked at him before she turned and got on top of him.  Michael didn’t say anything.  Instead the two leaned to each other and began to kiss.  Isabel was a bit forceful but Michael didn’t mind.  He reciprocated just as much as she was.</p><p>*****</p><p>The next afternoon Isabel hesitated before walking into the Crashdown.  Michael had left her before breakfast which was perfectly fine by her.  She found him at the grill and went up to him.</p><p>“Hey,” she said to him.</p><p>“Hey,” he replied back.</p><p>“Can we talk?”</p><p>Maria looked at Michael but he didn’t look at her.  </p><p>“Sure.”  </p><p>He took off his apron and went around the counter.  The two of them took a seat at a booth near the door.</p><p>“Michael, I-,”</p><p>“Isabel, it’s okay I know what you’re going to say and-,”</p><p>She raised her hands, “Please, just let me get this out, please.”  He remained silent.  “I’m not going to say that last night was a mistake but I am sorry.  I shouldn’t have done what I did.  I know we were just making out but I still shouldn’t have.  I was all over the place and it just seemed so easy.”</p><p>“Hey I get it.  Really I do.  Can I ask you a question though?”</p><p>“You and Alex, I know you’re not together but had it been him would you have done it?”</p><p>“No,” she answered easily.</p><p>“So why me and don’t say it was because I was the one there.  I mean you just said you didn’t think it was a mistake.”</p><p>“Yeah,” she admitted, “I don’t know, it just all felt right.  You being there last night at the incident, you being at the pod chamber with me, all of it.  I was going to do it all alone but instead I let you in.  I don’t know why.”</p><p>“Are you sure you don’t?  I have a pretty good idea but only if you want to talk about it because it’s like you said, neither of us wants to think about it but after last night would it be so wrong if we did?”</p><p>“Are you ready to?”</p><p>“Only if you are.  If not it’s fine.  Look going off to the side here, I’ve never baked a cake for anyone before.  That meant something to me, more than it just being a cake for a friend.  Then when you needed me last night I was glad I was the one you could lean on.  If you’re not ready to talk about this, about us, then I’m okay with that but maybe it’s time we do, don’t you think?”</p><p>“Honestly I’m not sure,” Isabel said.</p><p>“Well when you’re ready to I’m can wait.  I’m not going anywhere, Isabel.  I’m right here, right where I want to be.”</p><p>“What are you saying?”</p><p>“I think you know what I’m saying.”</p><p>Isabel looked at him for a moment.  By him saying he was right where he wanted to be she did know what he was saying.  He was saying he wanted to be with her.  He didn’t want to just be friends anymore.  The part that terrified her the most was that she wanted that too but she wasn’t sure if she could just yet.</p><p>She took a deep breath.  “I have to go.  Thank you for saving me last night,” she said as she stood up.</p><p>“You don’t need any saving, Isabel.  I’m just glad I could be there.”</p><p>“Me too,” she said with a smile.  “I’ll see you later."</p><p>Michael watched as Isabel left. He then let out a short sigh.  Though he was glad to be there for Isabel as a friend ever since her birthday he wanted nothing more than to be with her.  Yes their destiny determined it but would it really be so wrong if it did?  He had never seen Isabel as more than a friend until the night of the dreams they’d shared and ever since then he couldn’t get it, get her, out of his mind.  He would wait however.  If she wanted to be with him then she would let him know.  He would wait a lifetime if he had to.  He was confident that they were meant for each other.  They’d been together in their previous life so he had no doubt that it would follow them into this life as well.<br/>When Michael stood up and turned he saw Maria looking at him.  Had she watched their entire conversation?  How much had she heard?  Did it even matter?  Michael brushed it off and decided to act like it didn’t.  No he was not together with Maria so what she thought no longer mattered, at least not in the sense that he needed her permission on how to feel, not that he had before.  She just no longer had a say in what he did or how he did it.</p><p>“Everything okay?” Maria asked when Michael took his apron and walked back to the kitchen.</p><p>“Why wouldn’t it be?”</p><p>“No reason,” she said as she returned to her own work.</p><p>*****</p><p>Over the next couple of days things between Michael and Isabel began to change.  She had gone back to him later that day when she apologized to him at the Crashdown.  Isabel had tried to go on pretending that the make-out session had never happened but it had.  It wasn’t an easy thing to admit but she could not forget everything that had gone on.  Not only could she not forget but kissing him that night had felt right, natural even.  </p><p>Halloween was just around the corner, six days after her birthday.  It was said that many weird things happened on Halloween but it wasn’t there yet.  It had only been four days since Michael had been there to comfort her.  </p><p>“You headed out,” Isabel asked when she arrived to Michael’s apartment.</p><p>“Yeah,” he replied.  He saw the look of disappointment on her face.  “You know what, it doesn’t matter.  Do you want to come in or something?”</p><p>“No, I really shouldn’t.”</p><p>“Isabel usually you don’t like hanging out here with me.”</p><p>“Well can you blame me?”</p><p>No he couldn’t.  She never felt comfortable being alone with him anymore.  Not since the day of the pregnancy scare and what happened inside of the cave.  She was slowly starting to work up to it but only by inches.</p><p>Isabel took a deep breath and walked into the apartment.</p><p>“I want to talk.”</p><p>“I thought that’s what we were doin’.”</p><p>“I mean about us,” she said as she turned to look at him.  He put his hands in his pockets.  “You know it’s like that night on my birthday when I said neither of us wanted to talk about us being with each other.”</p><p>“I remember.”</p><p>“Well it’s got me doing a lot of thinking.”</p><p>“About?”</p><p>“About how you were there for me that night and not just to comfort me but when we were together in my bed.  I felt it Michael did you?”</p><p>“The flashes.”</p><p>“The memories of home.”</p><p>“The dreams we had before with our son.”</p><p>“I know it was all real.  I had never kissed anyone the way I kissed you.”</p><p>“Same for me.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Yeah.  You know how Max would always say he felt something, saw things, when he was with Liz but he never felt like that with Tess?  Well I’ve never seen anything or felt something like that with Maria.  Not until I kissed you.”</p><p>Isabel nodded.  “Somehow it felt like we fit didn’t it?  Like everything made sense.”</p><p>“So what are you saying here, Isabel?  I mean I think I have an idea but I need for you to be the one to say it.”</p><p>Isabel took a step closer to him.  “What I’m saying is I’m ready.  I’m ready to be with you but only if you are.”</p><p>“Are you sure?”</p><p>“I’ve never been more sure about anything.”</p><p>“Then I’m yours.”</p><p>“There’s just one thing.”</p><p>“Name it.”</p><p>“I’m not ready to make this official yet so do you think we can just keep this between us for a while?”</p><p>“That might be a little difficult.”</p><p>“Maybe but can we at least try?”</p><p>He smiled, “Sure.”</p><p>The two of them got closer.</p><p>“So about that thing you had to do before I got here?”</p><p>“I completely forgot what it was.”</p><p>“Good.”</p><p>Michael looked down at Isabel and ran his hand down her arm.  It glowed suddenly.  They were reminded of it being the same kind of glow when Max and Liz had been together.  Michael and Isabel smiled.</p><p>The two of them got in closer, their lips meeting.  Despite the night in her room they counted this as their first official kiss.  The visions they’d had before suddenly reappeared.  Not just the visions but the memories of them as little kids and then those memories turned into something more.  Stars flashed by and they saw themselves, who they’d been before.  They saw each other together.  They saw as Michael had proposed to her, how in love they’d been.</p><p>When they pulled apart now the two of them smiled.  They were also shocked at how vivid and accurate the memories of their past selves were.  Isabel wasn’t the type of person that Whitaker made her out to be.  She was good and in love.</p><p>Despite the memories Michael and Isabel knew that wasn’t the reason they were getting together now.  Now they were getting together because they wanted to be.  No destiny or past lives could tell them otherwise.</p><p>*****</p><p>Halloween came and went.  It had been a week since Michael and Isabel had gotten together.  They were discrete about it.  Hanging out occasionally but not so much as to raise suspicion.  Much of their time was spent at Michael’s apartment.  There were a few times they made out in the eraser room at school but that only lasted a day, their second day as a couple.</p><p>“What’s wrong,” Isabel said as they were walking at school together when they walked by the eraser room and passed it.</p><p>“Nothing.”</p><p>“Nothing?  I thought we were-.”</p><p>“I know I just don’t want to anymore.”</p><p>“Okay,” Isabel said feeling slightly disappointed.</p><p>Michael smiled.  He stopped and looked around to make sure none of their friends were watching.  “Don’t get me wrong, I want to it’s just I don’t want to do it anymore.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>“I want it to be real between us, Isabel.  I don’t want it to just be hidden in some closet at school.  We deserve better than that, you deserve better.  I want to be that guy that for you and not some cheap-ass boyfriend like I was with Maria.”</p><p>“You’re serious about this aren’t you?”</p><p>“Dead serious.”</p><p>Isabel smiled.  “No eraser room then.  So I’m guessing no behind the bleachers either?”</p><p>“Definitely not.  I was actually thinking of some place better.”</p><p>*****</p><p>“The pod chamber?” Isabel asked with confusion.</p><p>“I figure why not,” said Michael.  “You know it’s discrete and no one will think to look for us here and besides it’s the mountain where we-,”</p><p>Isabel smiled as she remembered, “made out in our dreams.”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Then it’s perfect.”</p><p>*****</p><p>It was since then that the two snuck away whenever they could that they came to the pod chamber whenever they wanted to be alone together.  </p><p>A week and a half had gone by when they started dating privately.  Michael waited for Isabel one night in the desert.  A meteor shower was passing through and Michael thought it would be the perfect place for them to see it together.  </p><p>When Isabel arrived she saw a tent set up, a few lanterns and a blanket outside.  She raised her eyebrows in surprise.</p><p>“What’s all this?”</p><p>“Well you didn’t think we were just going to sit out here and wait did you?”</p><p>“I kind of thought that was the plan yeah.  You didn’t say anything about camping.”</p><p>“I wanted to surprise you.”</p><p>“Michael-,”</p><p>“Before you say anything, the tent isn’t for us to…you know.  I just figured since we’re going to be out here so late that we might not want to go back.  All we have to do is sleep.”</p><p>“Shall we?” he said motioning to the blanket.</p><p>The two of them walked over to the blanket and took their seats, Isabel sitting between Michael’s legs.  For a few minutes nothing was said.  They simply looked up at the stars.</p><p>“Sometimes I forget,” she finally said.</p><p>“Forget what?”</p><p>“How beautiful they are.  How somewhere out there is home.”</p><p>“I don’t.  I always think of home.  I’m just glad we remember it now.”</p><p>“Me too.”</p><p>“And it doesn’t bother you, that you remember our life together?”</p><p>“Well I was kind of scared at first but now I think at just how lucky I was to have someone love me as much as you did.”</p><p>“I still feel that way.”</p><p>Isabel turned up to look at him, a little surprised at what he just said.  </p><p>“I’m serious, Isabel.  I still love you.  I think a thousand lifetimes could go by and I always would.  It’s like I found you all over again and I don’t want to let that go.”</p><p>Isabel reached up and touched his face.  “I love you too, Michael,” she said to him.  “Always have.”</p><p>As the two of them leaned in a meteor flashed across the sky but now that didn’t matter.  They were closing in on each other, their lips meeting as more meteors flew above the sky.</p><p>*****<br/>“Hey,” Michael said with a smile when Isabel woke up in his arms in the tent.</p><p>Isabel smiled, “Hey,” she said still a little sleepily.  “How long have you been awake?”</p><p>“Not long.  It was nice seeing you sleep.”</p><p>“What time is it?”</p><p>“I don’t know, mid-morning I guess.  You know we missed the meteor shower.”</p><p>Isabel leaned up to kiss him.  “So worth it,” she replied with a smile.</p><p>*****</p><p>A few hours later Michael looked up from his spot behind the grill at the Crashdown to see Isabel come in.  </p><p>The two gave a slight smile at each other.  Isabel then went over to Max’s table.  </p><p>“So how was the meteor shower,” Isabel asked her brother.  He looked at her, “What I just kind of figured that you’d be at Liz’s watching it together.”</p><p>“It was nice.  What about you?”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“I mean did you get a chance to see it?”</p><p>“No, I decided to stay in.”</p><p>Michael walked over and placed a plate of food in front of her.</p><p>“I didn’t order this,” said Isabel.</p><p>“You didn’t have to,” Michael replied with a smile.  Isabel smiled back but just as quickly as she had it went away.</p><p>Max turned to look at Michael and then back at his sister.  “What was that all about?”</p><p>“What was what all about?”</p><p>“Iz, is there something going on between you and Michael that I should know about?”</p><p>“Me and Michael, of course not.  Why, why would you even ask that?”</p><p>“Well you two have just been spending a lot of time together.”</p><p>“We’re friends, Max.”</p><p>“I know, it’s just that it seems different somehow.  You seem different.”</p><p>“Meaning?”</p><p>“Meaning I know what you’re going through because I’ve been there with Liz.  I see it and so can everyone else.”</p><p>“Max, there’s nothing going on.”</p><p>Isabel took a sip of her drink.  </p><p>“Are you two sleeping together?” Max asked.</p><p>Isabel coughed up on the table.  She laughed, “Sleeping together, what are you even talking about?”</p><p>Michael was quick to walk over with a towel as Isabel tried to clean it up herself with some napkins.</p><p>“I got it,” he said to her.  “You okay?”</p><p>“I’m fine,” she replied.</p><p>“Okay seriously what is going on,” Max asked.  “We all see it, Liz, Maria, Alex.  You can’t hide whatever is going on.  I need to know.”</p><p>“My life is none of your business, Max,” said Isabel.</p><p>“Maybe not but the three of us have always been able to talk about all kinds of things and now you two are hiding something.  Why won’t you just admit it?  Are you two sleeping together?”</p><p>Michael and Isabel looked at each other with concern.  As if reading each other’s thoughts they looked at Max.</p><p>Michael was the first to speak up.  “So what if we are?”</p><p>“You can’t be serious,” Max said.</p><p>“You wanted to know, Max,” said Isabel.  “It’s like you said you guys already see it so it’s obvious we can’t hide it anymore.  As for sleeping together it’s only happened once.”</p><p>“When?”</p><p>Michael sighed, “Last night, the night of the meteor shower.”</p><p>“I can’t believe I’m hearing this.  And you two have been seeing each other for how long?”</p><p>Isabel conceded, “A couple nights after my birthday so about a couple of weeks.”</p><p>“God and you’ve been hiding this from me?”</p><p>“We knew how you would react,” said Isabel.</p><p>“Besides, it’s not like we need your permission,” Michael said to him.</p><p>“Maybe not,” said Max, “but you should have told me.  Do you have any idea what this means?”</p><p>Isabel rolled her eyes, “Don’t Max.”</p><p>“Don’t what?”</p><p>“Don’t go into this destiny crap.  Anyways, Michael and I have already talked about it.”</p><p>“And?”</p><p>“And we realized it doesn’t matter.”</p><p>“So that makes it okay?”</p><p>“Why are you even judging us, Maxwell?” asked Michael.  “You more than anyone should know how we feel since you feel that way with Liz.”</p><p>“That’s what it’s like for you two?”</p><p>“Max,” Isabel said, “we’ve seen things, real things.  Same as you and Liz.”</p><p>“Like what?” </p><p>“Well we’re not going to tell you,” said Michael, “It’s personal.”</p><p>“Then how do you know if it’s even real?”</p><p>“It is,” Isabel said getting defensive.  “It’s not something physical either.  Max, what Michael and I have is real.  We felt it that night on my birthday and that was before we had those flashbacks.”</p><p>“I can’t believe I’m hearing all of this,” said Max.</p><p>“Yeah well believe it,” said Michael.  “See this is great, now everything is out in the open.  Michael took Isabel’s hand now that there was no reason to hide it.  “I know this probably isn’t how you wanted it to be.”</p><p>“No it’s okay,” said Isabel.  “I mean we were going to have to tell him eventually.”</p><p>As if the timing was off Maria was walking through the backdoor when she saw Michael and Isabel talking to Max, the two of them holding hands.</p><p>Liz, standing at the counter, saw her friend.</p><p>“Maria,” Liz said but she ignored her as she walked over to the pod squad.</p><p>“So it’s true,” Maria said to them.</p><p>Michael rolled his eyes.  “Damn it,” he said not meaning to say it out loud.</p><p>Maria shook her head.  “I’m just asking, be honest with me, Michael.  Are you two together?  I mean I kind of know you guys are but still.”</p><p>Isabell looked at her, “Feel free to tell Alex too by the way.”</p><p>“Tell Alex what?” Alex said as he walked inside and over to the four of them.  He saw that Michael and Isabel were still holding hands.  “Oh,” he said with a hint of disappointment.  “That.  I was kind of wondering when you would admit it.”</p><p>“Then it is true,” said Liz as she walked over too.</p><p>The door chimed and in walked Kyle.  He saw the group and now since he was a part of it he figured he would walk over.</p><p>“What’s going on?” he asked.  “Do you guys do like some kind of secret alien meetings now or something?”</p><p>“Great,” said Michael, “now everyone knows, happy?”</p><p>“I just don’t get it,” said Maria, “I thought you guys were like brother and sister.”</p><p>Isabel looked at Michael and he looked at her.</p><p>“You didn’t tell her?”</p><p>“You didn’t tell him?”</p><p>They both said at the same time.</p><p>“I just figured you wouldn’t want anyone to know,” said Michael.</p><p>“Same.”</p><p>Alex looked at them.  “Tell us what?”</p><p>Neither of them said anything for a moment.  </p><p>“Tell us what,” asked Maria.</p><p>Michael was the first one to speak up.  “A few months ago Isabel and I found out we were engaged.”</p><p>Maria’s eyes widened.  “I’m sorry you found out you were what?”</p><p>“Did you just say engaged,” asked Alex.</p><p>“Yeah,” said Michael.</p><p>“As in engaged, like you proposed to her with a ring and everything?”</p><p>Kyle looked at her, “I’m pretty sure that’s the definition of engaged.”</p><p>“But that’s not why we’re together now,” said Isabel, “it just kind of happened.”</p><p>“No I get it,” said Maria, “I mean Michael was there for you that night right?  I mean I’m assuming it was the night of what happened to you.”</p><p>“It’s more than that,” Michael said not liking what Maria was implying.</p><p>“Then explain it,” said Alex.</p><p>Isabel shook her head and Michael moved out of the way so she could stand up.  “We shouldn’t have to explain anything to anyone.  Look, Michael and I are together now that’s it.  Nothing any of you say can change that.”  She looked at Michael.  “You ready to get out of here?”</p><p>“Lead the way,” Michael replied calmly.</p><p>*****</p><p>Later in the evening as it was dark out Max found his sister walking in the park.</p><p>“What, no Michael?” Max asked.</p><p>Isabel turned to look at him.  “We don’t always have to be together besides he’s working anyways.”</p><p>“Right.  Isabel, I-,”</p><p>“Max, don’t.  Whatever you have to say I really don’t want to hear it.”</p><p>“Please?”  Isabel waited.  “I just don’t get it, I mean you two were never interested in each other before and now you two rarely spend time apart.”</p><p>“And that’s a bad thing?”</p><p>“It’s a confusing thing.  We were always a family you know, the three of us.”</p><p>“We still are.”</p><p>“You know what I mean.  We just always thought he was our brother.”</p><p>“Yeah and that was before everything happened before the cave, before the dreams, before all of it.  Look I know you all think that the reason we’re together is because of the whole destiny thing or because yeah, Michael was there the night I killed Whitaker but it’s so much more complex than that.”</p><p>“Then explain it.”</p><p>“I’m not sure I can even if I wanted to.  Max, I’ve seen things.  I remember things.”</p><p>“What kinds of things?”</p><p>“I remember what we were like together, what we really were to each other back then.  Max, I remember him proposing,” Isabel said with a smile.  “Aside from those dreams we had last year with our son I had never been that happy as I was when he proposed.  Being with him now, it feels complete somehow.  He makes me whole again, you know like I’m a full person rather than just half of one.  I remember how he felt and I remember how I felt, the same thing I feel now.”</p><p>“And how’s that?”</p><p>“You’re really going to make me say it?”</p><p>“That’s up to you but since you’re being completely honest with me then why not?”</p><p>Isabel nodded and then smiled.  “I love him, Max.  I love him more than I’ve loved anyone in this world or the other one for that matter.”</p><p>Max took a deep breath and stood in silence for a moment.  “And Michael feels the same way?”</p><p>“I know he does, yeah.”</p><p>“Iz, I just don’t want you to get hurt.  You know how reckless and impulsive he can be.”</p><p>“Michael’s not like that with me.  He’s a completely different guy.  I mean yeah he’s still Michael but when we’re together it’s like I complete him too and he finally gets to be the guy I’ve always known him to be.  So that’s why I know he would never hurt me.”</p><p>“Then okay.”</p><p>“Okay, okay what?”</p><p>“Look not that you need my permission-,”</p><p>“Which I don’t.”</p><p>“Right.  It’s going to take me some time to get used to the idea of you two together.”</p><p>“Max, it’s not an idea, we are together.”</p><p>He nodded.  “What I meant was that I think I can get behind it.”</p><p>“You mean it?”</p><p>Max smiled.  “You’re my sister, Isabel.  All I want is for you to be happy and if Michael makes you happy then that’s all that matters.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Isabel said as she smiled back at him.</p><p>*****</p><p>“Got your text,” Michael said to Isabel the next night.</p><p>He walked over to Isabel who was standing out in the desert where they’d been the night of the meteor shower.  A blanket was set out for them as well as a tent.</p><p>“What’s all of this,” he asked.</p><p>Isabel smiled, “Figured I would surprise you.”</p><p>The two of them went up to each other and kissed.</p><p>“Hi,” he said to her.</p><p>“Hi,” she replied back.</p><p>Isabel took his hand and the two of them walked over to the blanket.  They sat together as they had before, with Michael behind Isabel and she leaning against his chest.  They both gazed at the cloudless sky and sat in silence.</p><p>“What are you thinking about,” Michael finally asked.</p><p>“Us, what happened yesterday.  It’s all real right, us being out in the open, our friends knowing.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah it’s real.”</p><p>“I know I wanted to keep it a secret a little while longer but I’m glad they know.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Yeah.  Now we can be together, you know, officially.”</p><p>“I thought we were official.”</p><p>“You know what I mean.  We can relax about the whole thing, be out in the open.  I wasn’t sure I’d like it but I do.”</p><p>“It’s funny you should say those words.”</p><p>“And why’s that?”</p><p>Michael moved back from Isabel and sat in front of her on his knees.</p><p>Isabel suddenly had an idea as to what he was doing.  </p><p>“Michael-,”</p><p>He pulled out a ring from his pocket and presented it to her.  “Isabel, we never got the chance to say our vows in our other life.  I honestly can’t imagine going another lifetime without you by my side.  You’ve always been my best friend but you’ve also been more than that, you always have.  I will love you until forever.  Isabel Evans, will you marry me?”</p><p>Isabel let out a huge smile.  “Michael, we haven’t even graduated high school.”</p><p>“I don’t care.  All I care about is you.  I’m tired of waiting for us to spend our lives apart.  I want you in it, forever.  One lifetime just wasn’t enough.”</p><p>“I can’t believe you’re really doing this.”  She then smiled again.  “One lifetime isn’t enough for me either so yes, yes Michael.”</p><p>He smiled too as he placed the ring on her finger.</p><p>The two of them kissed for what felt like forever under the starlit sky.</p>
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